This invention relates generally to dental or medical prosthetic implants and more particularly to abutments used with dental implants and associated components used in implant procedures.
It is known to place an annular cuff formed of suitable biocompatible material on a permanent abutment member at the time the abutment is mounted on the root member and the gum tissue is then sutured over the cuff and abutment member and allowed to heal, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,731, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. After sufficient healing the cuff can be removed leaving a sulcus having a predetermined, optimized shape. The cuff can be formed with an inwardly extending, circumferential lip for placement onto the undercut of the abutment to provide a positive seat for the cuff.
An object of the invention is the provision of a locking mechanism for retention of a first sleeve on an abutment, the sleeve having an outer surface smoothly confluent with the outer surface of the abutment. Another object is the provision of a second sleeve, the first and second sleeves having an interface for locking on to each other. Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a second sleeve having a feature for interlocking with other dental materials.
Briefly, an abutment system made in accordance with the invention includes an abutment having several versions with various taper post or screw diameters for mounting in a root member, gingival radii, margins, abutment post diameters and abutment post heights. Each abutment post has a retention feature for retaining or locking a member, for example, an emergence cuff or wax-up sleeve. The abutments are formed of biocompatible material such as titanium alloy or ultra-high density polyethylene.
The emergence cuff or first sleeve member, formed of suitable material, such as plastic, is similar to that shown and described in the above mentioned U.S. patent, but adapted for use with the retentive feature of the abutments and provided with an interface for an optional second sleeve member. The second sleeve member, also formed of suitable material, such as plastic, ceramic or metal, snaps onto the first sleeve member and can be used, for example, in making impressions, particularly when provided with an undercut for retention of the second sleeve in impression material.
A sleeve pin, formed of suitable material, such as metal, plastic, ceramic or composite material, can be used for snapping onto the occlusal end of the second sleeve member or used as a one piece sleeve to provide an outer profile for such purposes as impression making, a waxing sleeve, a corrective coping, a jig or for prosthetic fabrication for contouring of the soft tissues and stabilizing of the implant during healing. The pin can be used to temporarily close the sleeve opening and extend the height of the sleeve. A one or two piece sleeve member can have multiple uses, such as: for making impressions, fabricating crowns, modifying abutments and recording relationships, both intra-orally as well as in a laboratory setting. The sleeve member, for example, could actually have the morphology of a tooth, such that it could provide the basis for the transition or final medical or dental prosthesis with specific additions or deletions for a particular restoration.
Additional objects and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, combinations and methods particularly pointed out in the appended claims.